Minnow bucket



Nov. 9, 1954 H. M. PIKER ETAL MINNOW BUCKET INVENTOR.

HERBERT M, P/-KER WILL/M L. 8cm/Tl Filed Oct. 17. 1949 GGO O O JGG O O (D G D@ O C) O United States Patent Ciiice 2,693,661 Patented Nov. 9, 1954 2,693,661 MINNoW BUCKET Herbert M. Pilier, Wyoming, and William L. Schultz, Hamilton, Ohio, assignors to The Hamilton Metal Products Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation ot' Ohio Application ctober`17, 1949, Serial No. 121,851

3 Claims. (Cl. 43-56) This invention relates to improvements in minnow buckets and particularly to the construction of said minnow buckets wherein there is provided a oat chamber as an integral part of the bucket.

In the past, minnow buckets with float chambers have been provided but in prior constructions the parts were connected to one another by soldering, welding, riveting, or the like, which resulted in weaknesses in con struction that materially reduced the life and etliciency of the said minnow bucket and which objections to float type minnow buckets are overcome by the construction of the present invention.

lt is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a float type minnow bucket having a oat chamber formed in the bucket without the use of solder, welds, or rivets, with their attendant weaknesses due to fracture in said joints by a bump or the like or the weakening of the parts due to piercing to receive rivets or other attaching means. u

Another object of this invention is the provision of a minnow bucket having formed integral therewith a iloat chamber and in which the parts are connected to one another by a metal seam or bead forming machine and whereby the joints thus eifected are not subject to distortion except under extreme conditions.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a minnow bucket that is economical to produce and acquire and which has the advantages, and accomplishes the obects, set forth above.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specication considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from 1- or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a minnow bodying the improvements of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the minnow bucket ot Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the minnow bucket on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

bucket em- Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the handle mounting on the line 4 4 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the seam or ioint between the several parts of the minnow bucket and forming a detail of the invention.

Through the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

The minnow bucket of the present invention may be said to comprise two sections, an upper or oat section and a lower or bucket proper section 11 joined to one another by a simple seam.

The lower or bucket proper section 11 comprises a circular body portion 12 turned on itself at its lower end at 13 and with said turned or hooked end received in the oppositely turned peripheral edge 14 of the bucket bottom 15. The hooked end 13 of the body portion 12 and the turned peripheral or hooked edge 14 of the bucket bottom 15 have interposed between them a sealing strip or compound 16. In practice, the said turned or hooked ends 13 and 14 are securely clamped together with the sealing strip or compound therebetween to form a bead 17, as is usual practice in forming a seam that joins sheet metal parts to one another. The body portion 12 is provided upwardly of the hooked end 13 with a plurality of apertures 18 which allow the circulation of water through the bucket while the same is floating in the river, lake or the like being fished.

The upper or iloat section 10, similar to the bottom 0r bucket section l11, is provided with a body portion 19, formed circular in transverse cross-section, and having its upper end turned on itself or hook-shaped as at 20. The hooked end 20, of the iloat section body 19, is interengaged with a complementary hook-shaped peripheral edge 21 of a top 22 and said elements 20 and 21 have a sealing strip or compound 23 interposed therebetween. In practice the said turned or hooked ends 20 and 21 are securely clamped together with the sealing strip or compound 23 therebetween to form a bead 24 as is usual practice in forming a metal seam.

The top 22 is in reality a ring with a central aperture 25 through which access to the interior of the bucket is obtained whereby minnows and the like are placed .in and removed from the bucket. The periphery of the inner edge of the ring is upset on itself to form a hook 26 interengagingwith a complementary hook 27 formed at the upper end of the tloat chamber inner wall member 28 with a sealing strip or compound 29 interposed therebetween. As noted above in connection with the bucket section body member hook 13 and bucket bottom hook 14, the top aperture peripheral edge hook 26 and float chamber wall hook 27 are securely clamped to one another with the sealing strip or compound 29 therebetween to form a bead 30, as is the practice of forming a metal seam.

The upper end of the bucket section body 12, the lower end of the oat section body 19 and the lower end ofthe float chamber inner wall 28 are each joined to the other to form a seam or bead 31 as best shown in Figure 5, the said seam being formed in the usual manner of forming a metal seam as will presently be described.

Accordingly, the bucket section body 12 yhas its upper end turned outwardly and then inwardly on itself to form a channel or laterally projecting hook 32 receiving in its channel the substantially similarly shaped lower end of the iloat section body member 19 which has its lower end first turned outwardly, then inwardly and iinally outwardly as at 33 to form a laterally projecting hook received in the channel of the lateral hook 32. interposed between the lateral hooks 32 and 33 is a sealing strip or compound 34. The lower end of the float chamber inner wall 28 is likewise outwardly turned and then folded on itself as at 35 to form a laterally projecting hook received in the channel of the laterally projecting hook 33 and said parts have interposed between them a sealing strip or compound 36. The said hook-shaped elements 32, 33 and 35 with the interposed sealing strips or compound are securely clamped to one another in forming the above noted seam or bead 31 that joins the float section 10 and bucket section 11 to one another.

It should be noted that the said float section 10 and bucket section 11 are substantially duplicates of one another, insofar as their height is concerned, that is, their respective body portions 12 and 19 are substantially duplicates of one another with the body portion 12 having secured thereto the bottom 15 and the body portion 19 having secured thereto the top ring 22.' It will be noted that the bead 17 is formed to project downwardly below the bottom 15 and this serves as the support for the bucket as a whole. -Also, the bead 24 at the top of the Iiloat section projects considerably above the top ring 22 thereby forming on the upper end of the bucket a pan for the reception of ice as is usual practice when the minnow bucket is to be transported while within the usual outer container and with live minnows or the like therein.

The formation of the beads or seams 17, 24, 30 and 31, each with its sealing or compound strip or strips, makes them water and air tight. By this construction an air tight float is provided in the float chamber at its upper end which comprises the air chamber 37 bounded by the tloat section body member 19, the top ring 22 and the float chamber inner wall member 28. It will be noted Vthat 'the 'oat chamber inner wall member 28 inclines Voutwardly or'diverges from the linner periphery of the ring top to the bottom of the float section thereby providing an opening into the bucket of a maximum diameter permitting an unobstructed view of the interior of the bucket.

The top central aperture may be closed by any suitable type of lid or cover, such for 'example as 'disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 and described in detail in copend'- ing application Serial No. 81,166, filed March 12, V1949. Brieily the lid or cover comprises the cover plate 3S having projecting from its rear portion hinge lugs 39 that cooperate with a hinge plate 4i) brazed, welded, or otherwise secured to the upper surface lof the ring top 22. The said cover plate 3S is provided with apertures 41 to admit fresh air to the 'bucket when in use, as is usual practice. The cover yplate is releasably held in closed position by a latch 42 which includes a spring nger 43 adapted to be actuated toward the post 44 to withdraw the latch lip 45 from beneath the adjacent portion of the .bead or seam 30. j

There is provided the usual bail handle 46 having its ends respectively hingedly connected with hinge eyes 47 welded, brazed, or otherwise secured, to the Aring top 22 for inserting and yremoving the bait bucket relative to the customary container, not shown.

From the foregoing it will be noted that there has been-*provided a bait bucket which answers the objects initially set forth.

What is claimed is:

1. A minnow bucket lof the class described comprising a oat section and `a bucket section, said float section having a sheet metal body portion with its upper and lower ends turned on themselves to provide hooks, a centrally apertured top having its outer periphery and the periphery of the central aperture turned on themselves to form hooks with the outer periphery hook interconnected with the iloat section upper end hook and pressed into engagement t'o form 'a water tight joint, a oat air chamber forming inner wall having its upper and lower ends turned on themselves to provide hooks with the hook at the upper end of the air chamber forming wall interconnected with the top aperture peripheral hook and pressed into engagement to form a water tight joint and with said air chamber wall extending angularly outwardly from said central aperture periphery toward the lower end of the float section body portion, said bucket section having an apertured sheet metal body portion with its upper end turned on itself to form a hook, a bottom having its periphery connected with the Vlower 'end of said bucket section body portion, said float section body portion having its lower end hook, said bucket section body portion having its upper end hook and said air chamber forming wall having its lower end hook simultaneously 'interconnected with one another 'and pressed into 'engagement to form a water 'tight joint between said minnow bucket float and bucket sections and a watertight joint between the lower ends 'of the o'at section body 'portion and air chamber wall whereby a float air chamber is formed vbetween the float section body portion, top and air chamber wall.

2. A minnow bucket of the class described comprising 'a oat section and a bucket section, said oat 'section having a sheet metal body portion with its upper and lower ends turned on themselves to provide hooks, a centrally apertured top having its outer periphery and the periphery of the central 'aperture turned on themselves to 'form 'hooks with the outer periphery hook interconnected with the oat section upper end hook and pressed into engagement to form a water tight joint, a oat air chamber forming inner wall having its upper and lower ends turned on themselves 'to provide with the hook at the upper end of the air chamber forming wall interconnected with the top aperture peripheral hook and ypressed 'into engagement to form a lwater tight joint and with said air chamber wall extending angularly outwardly from said central aperture periphery toward the lower end of the oat section body portion, said bucket section Ahaving an apertured sheet metal body portion with its upper end turned on itself to form a hook, a bottom having its periphery connected with the lower end of said bucket section body portion, said float section body portion having its lower end hook, said bucket section body portion having its upper end hook and said air chamber forming wall having its lower end hook simultaneously interconnected with one another and pressed into engagement to form a water tight joint between said minnow bucket oat and bucket sections and a water tight joint between the lower ends of the iioat section body portion and air chamber wall whereby a float air chamber is formed between the oat section body portion, top and air chamber wall, and a perforated cover hingedly connected with said top for swinging movement toward and from the top for closing the central aperture therein.

3. A minnow bucket of the Iclass described comprising a float section and a bucket section, said oat section having a sheet metal body portion with its upper and lower ends turned on themselves to provide hooks, a centrally apertured top having its vouter periphery and the periphery of the central'aperture turned on themselves to form hooks with the outer periphery hook interconnected with the oat section upper end hook and pressed into engagement to form a water tight joint, a float air chamber forming inner wall having its upper and lower ends turned on themselves to provide l hooks with the hook at the upper end of the air chamber forming wall interconnected with the top aperture peripheral hook and pressed into engagement to form a water tight joint and with said air chamber wall extending angularly outwardly from said central aperture periphery toward the lower end of the float section body portion, said bucket section having an apertured sheet metal body portion with its upper end turned on itself to form a hook, -a bottom having its periphery connected with the lower end of said bucket section body portion, said float section body portion having its lower end hook, said bucket section body portion having its upper end hook and said air chamber forming wall having its lower end hook simultaneously interconnected with one another and pressed into engagement to form a water tight joint between said minnow bucket float and bucket sections and a water tight joint between the lower ends of the float section body portion and air chamber wall whereby a float air chamber is formed between the float section body portion, top and air chamber wall, 'a perforated cover hingedly connected with said top for swinging r'novement toward and from the top for closing the central aperture therein, and a sealing compound between each of the interengaged lhooks for insuring water tight joints.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 299,942 Walsh June 3, 1884 523,470 Hemp et al. July 24, 1894 1,327,040 Hschke Ian. 6, 1920 1,745,912 Giimore Jan. 2s, 1930 1,880,250 Hopkins Oct. 4, 11932 2,020,536 COX NOV. V12, 1935 2,185,799 Blake et al J'al. 2, 1940 2,297,843 Sharpnack Oct. 6, `1942 2,327,412 Fink Aug. 24, .1943 2,327,447 OBrien Aug. 24, '1943 

